


cyberMAN

by The_Engineer



Category: Torchwood
Genre: AU, F/M, Jealousy, M/M, Multi, cyberman - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-09
Updated: 2019-08-09
Packaged: 2020-08-13 09:42:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20172166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Engineer/pseuds/The_Engineer
Summary: Lisa Hallett would do anything to save her husband, what she did not count on was Captain Jack Harkness willingness to do anything to take him.





	cyberMAN

Lisa Hallett pulled her husband from the fire despite his protests to save herself. He was the best thing that had every happened to her she was not about to lose him now. She could still hear the screams of her converter colleagues were gunned down by UNIT. She had found Ianto, partially converted and pulled him out of the conversion unit, he begged her to leave, but she wouldn't. No they were in it together. Ianto was encased in a metal helmet which looked drilled in his skull, there was blood leaking down his face. When Lisa found Ianto he was struggling in the conversion unit and screaming in pain, as a drill drilling into his leg, Lisa pulled with strength born from adrenalin, wrapped his leg and pulled him out of the unit. Half his body was encased in metal, but that would not stop her. They would get out, she would fine help, and they would be fine. Looking back she still doesn't know how she had gotten Ianto out of the building right out from under the eyes of UNIT and Torchwood Cardiff team.

Canary Warf where One was housed was in ruins, she needed help, information to remove the cyber implant from Ianto. Ianto spoke to her gently saying to give him the gun he could spare her pain, but Lisa refused. She would get help, he would get better. So Lisa set out for Cardiff, she knew that they would have the resources she needed. She didn’t tell Ianto how she got the job, only that she did.

Pain. It was the only thing constant in his life. He knew Lisa meant well, and he hated to see her in any type of pain. She could not hide her tears all the time. Currently he was housed in a deserted and drafty warehouse on the outskirts of Cardiff. Ianto was so cold his limbs immobile in their metal casing tugging on his skin. Lisa was determined to find a solution even though Ianto told her there wasn’t one. Oh he didn’t feel like a cyberman but then again he didn’t know what he would feel like if he was one either. Then Lisa came like a thief in the night and loaded him into a van.

“I’m in. I mean I got a job at Torchwood. I found the perfect place for you.” Lisa said driving in deserted nighttime streets.

“Lisa,” Ianto began weakly.

“It will work, I know it. I…I think I found someone who could help. A scientist from Japan. Soon Ianto just a little bit longer…I love you.” Lisa pleaded with him catching his eye in the rear view mirror, her dark chocolate eyes flickered as they passed by street lights. 

_The view has changed at least, but still rather cold._ Ianto thinks in his new room in the Torchwood hub. The strange plumbing meant Ianto could occasional hear the other up in the hub and when not sleeping would listen in on conversations.

Ianto could hear screaming, Lisa was screaming and afraid, Lisa was in danger. Ianto pulled his arm out of the conversion unit, it was heavy and clumsy with the metal encasing it. He forced himself to roll, falling onto the floor his leg making a sicken crunch. Ianto pulled himself up, he felt so week and his body so heavy. He half stumbled, dragging the cybernetic leg. He followed the sounds of gun fire and yelling. Ianto lugged his body up the stairs finally at the top, panting for breath.

_Oh Sweet hell how did one of those end up here!_ Ianto saw the team dodging and firing on a cyberman. It was close to Lisa, who was trapped.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!" Ianto bellowed and threw himself at the cyberman. Ianto using momentum propelled himself at the metal monster, swinging wildly with his metal encased arm. The first hit only stunned the cyberman.

"Lisa run!" Ianto yells. Going for another swing which the cyberman easily dodged. He could hear the cyberman threatening to upgrade them all. Ianto saw his chance and tackled the cyberman both landing in the shallow pool at the base of the statue. Ianto had grabbed an electric line and thrust it into the water. He could hear Lisa scream, "Ianto NO!"

Ianto felt the current flow though him and a force propel him through the air and then blacked out. Ianto woke to Lisa cradling him and pleading.

  
"Please don't...please he is still human" Ianto opened his eye and saw several people pointing a gun at him and Lisa and they all looked very angry. Ianto tried to shift but his body was too broken.

"Lisa, run." Ianto pleaded with his wife. Ianto forced himself to move, a bullet went off and hit him square in the chest. He could feel the bullet rip through his body, he could feel the blood spilling out of his chest, it was becoming so hard to breath.

"No stop, he is human!" Lisa was pleading with her team. Ianto pushed himself between the four people with guns. "Lisa run...I will hold them off. Go! Now." Ianto struggled to push himself forward, ready to launch into the man wearing an RAF coat. Lisa was crying, "please help him, Owen. He is human, look his is bleeding! he isn't one of them." She was clutching onto Ianto.

"I love you." Ianto said tears running down his face. "I love you so much, sweet girl. But you have to run."

Jack watched in apprehension. He wasn't fooled one bit, it was cyberman, partially converted. But, it was trying to protect Lisa and it was crying..and bleeding. It attacked the converted cyberman and killed it. Two cyberman in the hub, and Jack wanted answers. Lisa was begging it..Ianto to live, that she needed him. If it was partially converted then Jack should kill it, but it acted so human.

"Please Jack, Owen, he is still alive! He is human, look at him!" Lisa was begging holding the partial cyberman in her arms.

"Owen, get your med kit, Tosh run scans. Any cyber implants...." Jack did not need to finish the sentence. Jack reached down and grabbed Lisa roughly by the arm.

"Don't hurt her," the cyberman wheezed, still trying to protect Lisa. "It's okay Ianto, it's okay" Lisa said tearing were running down her face. "Suzie, take Lisa to the interrogation room, lock her in." Lisa whimpered but allowed Suzie to take her, all the while looking back at her bleeding husband. Jack is about to shot Ianto when he notices that Ianto shows compassion, is crying and begging for them not to hurt Lisa. Jack never heard of a cyberman pleading for anyone unless it was for an upgrade. Ianto is bleeding profusely from his head as the metal helmet had been broken, his leg is twisted in an unnatural angel. Owen and Tosh scan Ianto and find no implants. Owen thinks he is human and grabs his medical bag.

Owen and Tosh came closer, Jack steeped up and put a gun to the man head. "Any move, any move at all and I will splatter what's left of your brains all over the walls."

Both Owen and Tosh began to scan. Tosh was both terrified and thrilled to be so close to the cyber technology.

"Well?" Jack was becoming impatient. It unnerved him to see such blue eyes looking at him in such pain and calmness.

Both Owen and Tosh looked at each other. Tosh began," no cybernetic implants, looks like the process was started but not completed."

"He's human, and dying." Owen said sitting back looking at the man bleeding out in front of him. 

Jack inhaled and before he could act Owen, began applying pressure to the bullet wound.

"Tosh, I need the scans uploads so I can remove the casings, scrub up. Jack I need the gurney now!"

Jack moved, and felt a hand on his arm, "don't blame Lisa, not her fault." The man whispered. Jack roughly shook off the arm and ran for the gurney. It disturbed him deeply that he might have shot an unarmed and innocent man that saved his team. _No not innocent, he worked for ONE._

Jack helped Owen load the body onto the gurney and roll it into the medial bay. Tosh helped Owen prepare for surgery.

Jack steps back and watches Owen and Tosh work together. It had to be one of the oddest surgeries Jack had even seen. Owen was using a drill and saw to remove the cyberman shell. Tosh moving efficiently behind Owen to cauterize the wounds. Jack watched as the bolts dropped to the floor as Owen swore constantly, ‘drilled into the bones, muscle tissue damage…’ Owen and Tosh worked for two hours, until the metal casings from Ianto’s arms and legs were removed. Owen was scanning the metal encased helmet and muttering to himself. Tosh wiped the sweat out of her eyes with her sleeve, holding her tools, ready for the second part.

“Jack! I need you down here!” Owen yelled. Jack came down. Ianto lower body was swaddled in bandages. Only his head was showing.

“Okay, so both you and Tosh will need to cauterize the wounds after I remove the bolts. His blood pressure is low, but we don’t have time. He has already gone through two pints of blood. I’m going to saw right through the helmet, each of you is going to pull on their side, when I saw. Then all three of us work like hell to make sure he doesn’t bleed out, got it!” Owen snapped in determination. It was like being back in A&E, where Owen thrived on the intensity to save lives. Jack had to admire the little medic, he was so passionate about his profession.

Owen grabbed his small saw, quickly replaced the blade and nodded to Jack and Tosh. Owen worked quickly, first cutting a center line down the helmet, checking the readings on the screen and the schematic Tosh had printed out from scanning Ianto earlier. Owen made a few more cuts with the saw, he could see faint lines of red appearing and his machine starting to alarm.

“Now!” Owen yelled. Tosh and Jack carefully and swiftly removed the metal helmet. Jack could see the pattern where it had been cutting into the skin and moved quickly as blood was seeping out of the wound. Owen was providing suction and had picked up another tool to cauterize the wounds.

Thirty minutes later Owen looked at his mummified patient.

“You did good Owen,” Tosh said patting the medic on his shoulder. Owen had to agree, it was touch and go but he thinks the man will make it.

“How is he?” Jack asks.

“Good, his vital signs are slowly improving, his blood pressure and heart rate are slow but that could be a natural reaction to the anesthesia.”

“When will he wake?” Jack asks looking down at the cyber….no man that Lisa had endangered the whole world for.

“Few hours.” Owen says adjusting the IV drip and looking at the monitor.

Jack nods, “good. We need to move him down to one of the cells.”

“What! Forget it. Metal man stay right here where I can observe him.”

“Owen,” Jack says, “he goes to the cells or…”

“Or what you kill him?” Owen asks in disbelief. “Why the hell did I work my arse off saving the bastard if you just wanted to kill him, not on my watch!” Owen folded his arms across his chest. He took a vow as a doctor, and even though he worked for Torchwood, it was still a vow.

The two men glared at each other.

“Fine but he remains under restraints and monitored at all time, got it.” Jack stabs a finger at Owen’s chest and walks away. He now has to deal with Lisa.

Jack finds Lisa and Suzie talking quietly in the interrogation room. Lisa had been given a cup of tea and was crying into a tissue. Jack walks into the room and Lisa stands, “How is he? How is Ianto, my husband?” Lisa’s eyes scan Jack’s impassive face.

“Jack,” Suzie tries to intervene. Lisa had told her about her childhood. Growing up on the rough estates, her father abusing her, regular beatings, calling her ugly that she will never amount to anything. Lisa running away when she was seventeen to London. Drifting from job to job, until she was recruited by another Torchwood employee. Meeting Ianto. The kind, handsome and gentle man, who out of the whole nineteenth floor, asked Lisa on a date. Ianto Jones who grew up in an affluent family, going to a good prep school that ensured he went to a top university. Witty and charming Lisa wondered what he saw in her. Lisa Hallett, born on the estates and teased for her Brummie accent, wearing charity shop clothing and living in a hostel because she could not afford a flat. She was later mortified when Ianto’s parents popped in for a visit and Lisa was wearing a pair of cut off shorts and a tee shirt and her head wrapped in a brightly covered scarf. Not the way she had wanted to meet them. But like Ianto, they were kind and invited her out to the county for a weekend. Lisa could not believe they were inviting her, didn’t they notice her estate background, she was lower class. Ianto teased her later, about her panicking.

“Lisa,” Ianto cupped her face, “I love you, your beauty, and sweet soul and sparkling wit. I don’t care where you grew up, that doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter that you don’t know which fork to use in a twelve course meal, neither do I. I just love you.” Ianto punctuated each word with a kiss on her nose. That weekend had been magical. Ianto’s mother Marion and her found they both loved antique shopping, and items from the 1930’s. At one point they disappeared for two hours, Marion ‘_I just had to show Lisa that little shop in town, you know the one.’_. Ianto’s sister and husband came by with their children and stayed for the picnic dinner. Ianto had proposed to her after the pudding in front of everyone. Ianto’s parents were overjoyed and hugged her repeatedly and telling her she was one of the family now. Marion offering to help with the wedding planning, saying they would give the couple twenty thousand pounds for the weddings. Lisa went to protest but Marion over ruled her. “we gave Rhiannon the same amount when she married John, it is only fair we give Ianto and you the same amount.” A year later they were married, Mr. Jones walking her down the aisle, her own father died of alcohol poisoning, and her mother long dead. Lisa did not invite any of her relatives owing to their either being drunk, high or in prison. 

Ianto saved her, gave her confidence and love. She would fight to her death to protect him if necessary. He was the only good thing in her life and if she didn’t not have Ianto, then….it would not matter if Jack killed her. She would want to die anyway.

Jack was yelling at her, Lisa only cried and kept asking if Ianto was alive. She begged, _please please Jack, please._ Lisa became more anxious when Jack was not answering her. Lisa in desperation grabbed Jack by the lapels, bunching the cloth in her hands.

Jack alarmed pushed Lisa away, who stumbled and fell to the ground knocking over a chair and hitting her head against the wall. Jack shocked that Lisa might be hurt went to reach for her when she shrank back in fear. Then both Suzie and Tosh slammed through to the interrogation room. Suzie push Jack back from the cowering Lisa while Tosh pulled her into a hug, telling her it would be okay. Lisa and Tosh had a powerful bond, being survivors of sexual abuse. Tosh her few months in the UNIT prison by the guards, and Lisa by her uncles and cousins. They had bonded instantly through pain and humiliation then as fierce survivors. When life became hard for either woman they sought comfort in each other with late night phone calls or wine and dinner. Many times Lisa wanted to tell Tosh about Ianto but was afraid to put her best friend in a situation she would have to betray Jack. Lisa knew Jack saved Tosh from the UNIT prison. The deplorable conditions and even worse the guards themselves.

Jack opened her mouth but Suzie stepped in front of him raising a finger. “What the hell Jack, she is one us! You don’t get to abuse Lisa…..” Suzie ranted, her fist clenching as if she would strike Jack.

“Shut up!” Jack yelled.

“Lisa, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for you to fall.” Jack paused, and saw Tosh glaring at him and mouthing the words, _tell her or I will._ Jack glared at Tosh.

“Ianto…survived the removal of the cyberman encasing. Owen thinks he will recover.”

Lisa visible sagged in Tosh’s arms which for some reason infuriated Jack. Jack was about to read Lisa the riot act, remind her the penalty for treason. Threaten her that she would never see Ianto again.

But then stopped. Lisa had been beaten and bullied by her father her entire life, Jack could not do that to her. They had built up trust between each other, flirted and the one time, a timid kiss.

Jack ran his hands through his hair in frustration, he was furious. Lisa had lied to him and brought a…what? Ianto was human, but had cybernetics encasings on his body. He saved his team from a cyberman. But that did not matter he tells himself, Lisa lied to him. Jack paced back and forth in the small interrogation room. Suzie remained an unmovable barrier between him, Tosh and Lisa. Even Tosh and placed herself in front of Lisa despite Lisa being several inches taller. 

“Lisa Hallett, you are suspended for four weeks. You are to remain in your flat unless you have permission to leave. I will be monitoring you day and night.”

Lisa nodded. It could have been so much worse, it still could be. Jack could be lying to her and planning on retconning or killing after when Suzie and Tosh are not there to protect her.

“Can I sss..see Ianto before….” Lisa gulped, “before I leave.”

“Of course you can.” That was Suzie who glared at Jack as Tosh guided Lisa out of the interrogation room, one arm around the taller woman’s waist. Followed by Suzie and last Jack. Despite his anger he had a feeling both Suzie and Tosh would be yelling at him by the end of the night for handling the situation so poorly regarding Lisa.

Lisa started to move fast and was then running, Tosh, Suzie and Jack behind her. She ran to the medical bay, panting, grabbing the handrail as she looked down at her mummified husband. Owen was sleeping in a chair close to Ianto’s beside. Tosh, Suzie and Jack crashed into each other at Lisa’s sudden stop. Jack could not help notice Lisa’s face light up just seeing Ianto, a Mona Lisa smile played around her lips, her eyes shining bright with love and tears. Jack thinks he had never seen Lisa looks so beautiful.

Lisa quietly made her way down the stairs, under the watchful eyes of her colleagues.

She approached the bed, slowly and lightly patted the encased arm and placed a soft kiss on the only part of Ianto’s head that was not wrapped in white bandages, his lips. Lisa whispered that she loved him. That he was worth any price she had to pay, even if meant forgetting him or…death. That when he woke she wouldn’t be there, but hopefully she could see him soon. Jack could hear everything and almost wished hadn’t. Lisa walks back towards the stairs, looking back every few steps, wistfully like Ianto would wake and she could speak to him just one last time.

Jack drove Lisa back to her flat despite protests from both Suzie and Tosh. Tosh made it very clear she would be monitoring their progress while Suzie said she would come be before work the following morning. Jack glared at the two woman, he was the leader after all, not the criminal, they both acted like he had done Lisa wrong instead of the opposite.

The drive in the SUV was stifling, Jack started to wonder if he should have let Tosh take Lisa home, the constant wringing Lisa’s hands was getting on his nerves.

“I…I don’t have any food.” Lisa begins. Jack says he will send one of them by tomorrow to take her shopping. Lisa quietly acknowledges Jack. Going hungry is a small price to pay for what she has done. Jack pulls into a Tesco. “Thirty minutes, let’s go!” Jack doesn’t miss the CCTV camera red eye as he pulled into the parking lot.

Lisa takes a trolley and quickly finds her favorite foods, choosing fresh fruits and vegetables, a few frozen curries. Ianto is the cook between the two, and she wonders if once Ianto wakes he will be allowed to come home. She quickly grabs bread, milk and butter just in case, Ianto makes the best French toast. It was only when they got to the cashiers Lisa realizes she had not brought her purse. Jack just pursed his lips and paid, he was getting a feeling that Tosh had commandeered the CCTV cameras inside the Tesco’s and was feeling prickly.

Jack returns to the hub. Owen was asleep on the sofa, while Tosh and Suzie had gone home. Jack puts the hub on sleep mode hoping the rift is going to be quiet tonight, so maybe he can get caught up on paperwork. As Jack moves around the hub and thinks he hears music. Jack just assumes Owen had left his music on.

Jack quietly makes his was down into the medical bay and looks at the body swathed in bandage. Ianto is resting when Jack hears a soft sound only to find a sleeping Ianto humming to himself. Jack goes to turn on the computer for music and find Ianto has curled his fingers around Jack and is holding his hand.

“I’m going to need that back.” Jack says softly and pulls his hand away. A faint frown appears on Ianto’s mouth. Ianto’s fingers move ever so slightly as if they were searching for something. Ianto is looking distressed, when Jack runs his hands down Ianto’s who clutches and is holding Jack’s hand once again. Ianto is immediately calmed, and then starts humming again.

Ianto gets better slowly, he is still being kept in the hub under observation. If there is a rift call Ianto, with the assistance of a cane goes into a cell voluntarily. Lisa has been placed on home suspension. She spends her days pacing the small flat. Begging her coworkers for any information regarding Ianto. Tosh had been clandestinely sending regular updates and CCTV video to Lisa on Ianto’s health.

Ianto’s recovery is slow, and as he spends so much time in the hub has already endeared himself to the majority of the team Jack has noticed. Ianto is so damn amicable, he is not the sycophant most ONE employees he met were. Ianto made tea for both Suzie and Tosh if it was a long nights. Ianto listens to Tosh as she talks out her frustrations regarding technology and makes suggestions. Ianto rattles Owen’s cage just when the medic is down or frustrated. Owen only too willing to trade barbs as a diversion. And at late at night…they talk just him and Ianto. Ancient Greek Philosophy, the history of bread baking, WWII battles, music, painters. Jack is amazed at the width and breath of Ianto’s knowledge. Ianto just smiles shyly and say he has an edict memory and that it drove his uni professors mad. They never talk about ONE or Canary Warf. Ianto only once mentioned when he saw a piece of alien rift debris on Tosh’s desk that ONE had one in their archives. Then in a raw moment, “Yvonne Hartman misguided attempts to bring Britain back into power cost so many lives. She wasn’t evil, she just believed her place in the world was to bring in the New Empire. She was an immensely proud woman” Then walked away leaving a stunned audience in his wake.

So far Jack has refused to say what he will do to the young couple. Lisa pleads for Ianto’s life on long calls to Jack’s voice mail, saying she will take whatever punishment Jack deems fit, only to let Ianto live.

Ianto was in the medical bay, Owen had finished his exam, gave him the all clear and said he should continue his physical therapy. Owen had nagged Jack earlier in the day to let Ianto go.

“He human Jack. No sign of implants. He will heal faster under his GP and more regular sessions with a physical therapist.”

But Jack wasn’t sure, he trusted Owen and had Tosh continuously monitor Ianto surreptitiously. Ianto was human, just wasn’t ready to let the man go.

Owen sighed. “Look, he taking up time. I have 2 alien bodies I need to autopsy, but you keep having me evaluate Ianto….”

“I’ll think about it.” Was all Jack replied. Tosh’s report was the same as Owen’s. No communications, or strange reading from the Welshman. Tosh even suggested he be sent home to Lisa.

“I know she is worried about him.” Tosh said hesitantly. Earlier Tosh, Owen and Suzie had whispered meetings each wondering why Jack would not let Ianto leave despite the last week weeks of a clean bill of health. Owen though it was Jack’s way of torturing Lisa. Tosh shook her head.

“The first thing Jack allowed me to do after I got out of the UNIT prison was to call my mum.”

“But none of us are even allowed to talk to Lisa much less tell her about Ianto.” Suzie said her eyes shifting to Jack’s office. “He wants to keep them apart.”

This shocked the other two, sure Tosh had been sending updates but it never occurred to her that Jack was keeping them apart on purpose. What they were not aware of was Jack had been taking a liking to his prisoner. Jack never slept much and Ianto exhausted after his PT would sleep during the day. Then be awake at night. So they talked, mostly about music and the weather at first. Then more intensely from philosophy to aliens life. Ianto told him about working at ONE. That not everyone was a sycophant to Hartman.

“Some of it is your fault you know.” Ianto said to Jack one evening when both men had made insinuations the conversation bordering on an argument.

“My fault?” Just how the hell do you lay this at my door?” Jack glared his arms folded across his chest.

“Because you were the favorite. Yvonne only wanted to impress her highness, she wanted the queen’s respect and awe that you had in spades. After every call with the queen Yvonne would call her senior staff into meetings, she was so fired up and determined. She believed she could bring Brittan back to the golden age of glory, when Britain was the empire of the world.

“We knew better. Also, I quite like the world as it is.” Ianto told Jack of some of the alien he had come across, the more harmless and mundane encouraged to leave, or hide.

It was with regret and pressure from his team that four weeks later Jack was driving Ianto to his flat.

Ianto excited to see Lisa, shock Jack’s hand and got out of the SUV. Jack watched as Ianto limped up to the front of the house and knocked on the door. Lisa opened the door, burst into tears and threw herself into her husband’s arms. Jack drove off. He told Ianto he would return later that evening to talk to both of them.

Lisa was allowed to return to Torchwood. She thought Owen, Suzie and Tosh would hate her for hiding Ianto, so she was surprised by her warm welcome. Well Owen was snarky but that was usually. Tosh and Suzie both agreed they would have done the same. They both asked how Ianto was. Lisa gushed about his PT going so well. “His therapist thinks that he will be running again in no time. And he is getting his upper body strength back. Which is great! I’m tired of carrying the groceries” Lisa beamed, then saw Jack watching her, curled in on herself and went back to her desk. Tosh and Suzie saw the change, saw Jack, and also went back to their work.

So life at Torchwood continued, a few weeks went by, the summer rain turned to autumn rain, the temperature dipped.

Lisa was up in the tourist office when the door opened, “Ianto!” Lisa smiled, jumped of her stool and went and kissed her husband on the lips. “What are you doing here?” She asked frowning noticing he was carrying a briefcase.

“Well, I am feeling better so I decided to ask Jack for a job.” Ianto replied.

“Wait. What! No! Ianto you can’t” Lisa began to worry. She has finally made it out of Jack’s bad books. Ianto almost died last time. And Jack…flirted. Would Ianto understand….

Lisa bit her lip. Ianto reached over and placed a tender kiss on her lips and whispered, “relax, I’m just asking.”

Lisa nodded and pressed the button for Ianto to enter the hub. Ianto mouthed, _see you soon _and went down.

Ianto entered the hub and was amazed no one said anything until he was halfway across the hub and then it was only Suzie and Tosh who just stared while Owen was down in the medical bay.

Ianto went to Jack’s office door and knocked. With what he assumed was come in Ianto opened the door. Jack frowned when he saw him.

“Ianto?”

“Hello Captain.” Ianto sat down in the chair next to Jack’s desk, opened his briefcase and removed a thermos and two beakers. Jack watched in amusement as Ianto poured a rich dark ambrosia into each mug. If the smell was anything to go by Jack was in for a surprise.

Ianto gave Jack a mug of coffee and he drank deeply, then let out a moan and looked at Ianto appreciatively.

“I never knew coffee could taste so good.” Jack took along long drink.

“No, too many shops are in for profit…..not quality.”

Ianto saw that that Jack had pretty much drank all the coffee had had poured the last of the coffee in Jack’s coffee cup. Ianto put the thermos away and took out a sheaf of papers. Jack saw the papers and raised an eyebrow. Ianto set the papers on his desk and took a breath.

“I would like to offer my service to Torchwood Cardiff. I…”

“No.” Jack said flatly, glaring.

Ianto expecting as much pushed on. “I have three years’ experience in both field work and archiving and retrieval.”

“Were not hiring.” Jack said standing up. Ianto remained seated.

“You should be. Five people to monitor the rift, resources are stretched pretty thin. I would say you could use another hand, and an experienced one at that. I….”

“What part of no didn’t you understand?”

“The part that kept Lisa here for 36 hours straight last week. And her 24 hour shift the week prior. Not to mention the various cuts, and bruises she comes home with.” Ianto stood facing off with Jack.

“You need someone. I am available and already trained.”

“Were not like ONE!” Jack snapped.

“I understand that,” Ianto said pragmatically. “I would not ask for a job if you were.”

“If it wasn’t for ONE,” Jack began.

“If it wasn’t for me and a few select members of the TLF, the ghost shifts would have happened a lot sooner and more frequent.” Ianto snarled. “I was not responsible for the ghost shifts. I tried to prevent them. I KNOW working with alien technology is a dangerous thing. I’m not trying to take over the world. I just want to protect it.”

The two men glared at each other.

“TLF?” Jack queried.

“Torchwood Liberation Front. We knew Jack, that what Yvonne was doing was dangerous. We could not stop her but we could prolong her efforts. We misplaced files and reports. We moved equipment, miscataloged artifacts. We did everything in our power to prevent things from happening. I risked my life everyday going into work, not from the alien, but from Yvonne and her goons if she ever found out what we were up to.” Ianto sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “ I did what I thought was right, to save the city, the county…. the world….”

Jack took a deep breath and broke eye contact. “I’m sorry Ianto. There is no job for you here and never will be.”

Ianto opened his mouth to argue then closed it. Pick up his brief case, took his papers and mugs and left Jack’s office. All the while cursing the pig headed American in his head.

Lisa watched with mixed feelings, She knew Ianto could handle himself he was twice the agent she was. But she almost lost him the first time and did not want his back at Torchwood. Ianto paused by Lisa’s desk kissed her sweetly on her lips and was walking toward the cog wheel door when Jack yelled, “Lisa!” Ianto stopped and turned ready to interfere, but Lisa shook her head. Ianto turned and left. If Lisa got into trouble then he would come by tomorrow and speak to Jack.

Lisa went to Jack’s office, and listed to him rant about Lisa letting him into to Torchwood, citing protocol. Lisa listened and made the appropriate non-committal noises.

Lisa got up to leave when Jack asked, “what did you know about the TLF at ONE?”

Lisa’s eye went wide and she shook her head. “There were rumors….a clandestine operation in Torchwood ONE. Yvonne called them traitors to the cause, rewards were given for information. I just know they were dangerous. Why?”

Jack paused, “no reason,” then smiled. Despite working for ONE Lisa was a bit naive. She believed that Yvonne was working for the betterment of humanity, but not that aliens were our enemy. Jack knew at that moment Lisa did not know about Ianto’s involvement in the TLF. Jack decided a closer look at Ianto’s employment records were needed.

Lisa had not thought about the TLA since her days at ONE. She heard rumors, everyone heard rumors. They were saboteurs, taking alien technology and using it for nefarious purposes. She shivered, surely they were all dead, taken by the cybermen and daleks.

Ianto walked home, trying to work off his anger. Jack should hire him, Jack needed him he was valuable. Ianto set his laptop up on the kitchen table and was settling down to lunch when he heard a ping. Going over to his laptop and smile crept up on his face. Good, Jack was looking at his CV and projects for ONE, he was being investigate, good. That meant Jack was interested.

A few days later………………..

“Rift Alert!”

Jack and the team pulled up in the SUV, tires screeching, and smoke settling from the abrupt stop. Jack gets out of the SUV his coat flaring for dramatic effect as he walks toward the rift alert.

Jack pauses by a park bench.

“I believe what you are looking for is over near the lake.” Said a familiar Welsh voice.

“Ianto?” Lisa smiled and swiftly, before Jack could say thing, snatched a kiss from her husband.

Jack’s face darkened, “I thought I told you, there is no job for you here at Torchwood.”

“I’m just sitting on the bench eating my lunch, Captain.” Ianto replied serenely.

Jack opened his mouth but saw it was true. Ianto was eating lunch. Jack closed his mouth, turned and stomped off ignoring the giggling from Lisa.

“You’re getting colder.” A Welsh voice called out to him. Jack just ignored it and pulled out his portable rift detector saw Ianto was correct and changed directions. Lisa wisely kept silent, she would tell Tosh and Suzie when they got back to the hub.

Ianto was still sitting on the bench, drinking, Jack guesses, his marvelous coffee, and reading a newspaper when Jack and Lisa found the object they were looking for. Jack ignored Ianto as he walked past heading for the SUV. Lisa paused whispered something to Ianto then kissed him again and ran to catch up to Jack who was just getting into the SUV.

“I expect you to remain professional Ms. Hallet when we are out on calls.” Jack ground out between clenched teeth.

Lisa opened her mouth to object, saw Jack’s face and kept quiet. Suzie might like to push her luck but Lisa knew better. The ride back to the hub was stifling in the SUV. Lisa was not sure why Jack was so angry at her or Ianto. Ianto was just having lunch after all. It’s not like Ianto planned the rift alert or location….at least Lisa doesn’t think he did.

Back at the hub Jack stomped into his office, letting Lisa deliver the rift debris to Tosh.

“What’s up with Jack?” Suzie ask scooting her chair closer to Tosh and Lisa who were whispering.

Minutes later Jack heard Tosh, Lisa and Suzie burst out laughing. Jack stopped pacing and sat in his chair. Why did Ianto bother him so much? Ianto was right, they could use the help and Ianto was more than qualified. He didn’t believe the tommyrot Yvonne was pushing. Was good with technology and alien artifacts. Worked in the archives and in the field. Was it the TLF? Would Ianto question his orders? Go behind his back. Ianto was dangerous that was one thing Jack could feel, deep down. Ianto was dangerous. He just didn’t know why.

It was late at night less than a week later and Jack was driving erratically. He had been chasing a rift signal all over Cardiff for an hour. Whatever it was that had come though the rift could fly, and that left Jack at a handicap. Jack so busy looking up almost ran a red light, was brought out of his musings with a thump on the SUV bonnet and very angry Welsh tenor, calling the SUV driver a few rather colorful names.

Jack gets out of the SUV to placate the pedestrian, when to his surprise…

“Jack!” Ianto is glaring furiously at him, his hands clenched in anger. “So you are the arsehole trying to run me down. I bloody got it when you said there is no job for me. That doesn’t give you the fuckin’ right to try and run me over! For fuck sake I am lite up like a bloody Christmas tree, how could you not see me!!!” Ianto was yelling and raving at Jack. Jack for one moment thought Ianto might hall off and deck him, Then Jack noticed the very tight fitting jogging clothes Ianto was wearing.

“Well?” Ianto says seeing Jack standing there mouth open.

Jack smiled, “want to go on a rift call with me. Whatever it is, is airborne,”

Ianto opened his mouth to protest, rolled his eyes and went around to the passenger side to the SUV.

They tracked the anomaly to an abandoned warehouse. Ianto really did start wondering about Jack was there were no nets in the SUV to catch the bloody dinosaur now flying in the warehouse. Ianto sighed, pulled out the bar of chocolate he has after a run, take a tiny square to eat then, _for a good cause._ He tempts the dinosaur while Jack tries to sedate the prehistoric beast.

After subduing the _Pteranodon_, rolling on the warehouse floor with Jack, which turned out to be quiet fun. There was a moment between them.

Ianto helped Jack load the dinosaur into the SUV then said he would finish his run and for Jack to have a nice evening.

“Tomorrow, we start at 9am.” Jack yells to Ianto’s retreating back. Ianto turns and looks at Jack in puzzlement.

“You wanted a job,” Jack prompted.

“Got one,” Ianto said with a shrug. “I start next week Joint Emergency Services Group.”

Jack laughed, “I will see you tomorrow Ianto.”

Ianto looked like he was going to argue, shrugged then turned and started jogging back to his flat. Jack watching him run, noticed other parts of his anatomy were twitching and licked his lips. Jack felt better, He knew Ianto was dangerous and was surprised it took him so long to figure out just why.

The following morning the cog wheel door rolled back Lisa walked in arm in arm with Ianto. Jack had to clamp down on a whistle. Ianto Jones was wearing a bespoke charcoal gray a suit with a silver shirt and light blue tie. Jack thought he might start panting at the sight.

Lisa was not surprised by Jack and everyone else reactions to seeing Ianto. Very few could compete with Ianto in his bespoke suits. Lisa preened slightly, it is always nice to have ones partner be appreciated.

Later………….

Since Ianto started working at Torchwood the team dynamics changed. Then Jack hired Gwen Cooper. Gwen made it obvious she was infatuated with Jack and would willingly go to his bed. Lisa was practically pulling out her hair, she hated Torchwood, hated Jack and truth be told, hated Gwen. She did not mind the flirting, that was just Jack. It angered her that Jack would give Gwen special treatment, while ignoring that her and Ianto were married!

It all came to ahead one evening. The sexual tension between Jack, Gwen and Lisa. HOwever Gwen as usual misread the situation and accused Lisa of being jealous of her and Jack's special connection.

"Go ahead and TAKE HIM!" Lisa hisses to Gwen. She had no love for Jack, not really. Sure at first it was fun and exciting, Jack would come over to their small house, and after dinner they would have imaginative sex. Lisa loved it, she loved them. But then she started noticing the small things. Jack would flirt just a bit more with Ianto, fingers were brushed. Jack would go out of his way to touch Ianto. One night Jack had sent Tosh and her out of town on a mission, she found out that Jack had spent the night at her home, with Ianto. Then Jack had sent her to the UNIT conference. She noticed more often that Jack was trying to get rid of her so he could have Ianto all to himself, she started to fear for her life. When she told Ianto he offered that they should end things, he loved Lisa and if she was feeling this way. Lisa screamed and yelled at Jack, that he was trying to take Ianto away from her! Jack pulled back and tried to sooth Lisa that they did not need to end the arrangement that they could share Ianto.

When Gwen came fumbling on the scene, Lisa thought all her prayers were answered. She could see Gwen’s infatuation with Jack. Maybe she could break the infatuation Jack had for Ianto.

Lisa wanted to scream, "Take him, go ahead take Jack. Keep him away from Ianto! Maybe Jack will fall in love with Rhys!”


End file.
